Data privacy will play a crucial role in shaping the new normal, as governments and firms need to collect information from consumers for security concerns, according to an antivirus provider.
Moscow-based Kaspersky on Monday said data privacy will be a primordial of concern for many citizens in the new normal. As to why, the firm attributed it to the transition to digital transactions during the Covid-19 pandemic which forced governments to enforce lockdowns and, in turn, shut down commercial establishments.
In the new normal, private enterprises are seen to collect data of different sorts from customers, while the government responds to this by coming out with new rules and regulations.
Further, consumers will begin to appreciate the importance of data privacy in their daily lives. It will become an asset that some people may even be willing to pay just to get it, Kaspersky said.
“Consumer privacy is going to be a value proposition and will, in most cases, cost money,” the Russian firm said.
“Increased data gathering during the pandemic, and growing political turmoil that crossed into digital platforms, have combined to yield rapid growth in public awareness of unfettered data collection. As more users look to preserve their privacy, organizations are responding by offering privacy focused products—the number and diversity of which is set to grow.”
Kaspersky cited as example the data gathered by fitness trackers downloaded in phones, that collects blood pressure and heart activity, which to some health service providers may be useful in promoting their products.
The company said the shift to digital transactions and its consequential effect on data privacy will make governments “jealous” of the private sector. Authorities know these data sets can be used in, say, fighting child abuse, fixing city traffic and silencing dissent.
However, as private enterprises rarely share their data even with the state, governments may be forced to apply new regulatory measures on online privacy.
Data firms, for their part, may find themselves employing fresh ways on how to source data from consumers. Kaspersky projected a rise in the use of data driven behavioral analytics, in which the firms will exploit information they have collected to influence the way people think and live.
In the Philippines, for one, private firms are required to collect personal information of buyers for contact tracing purposes and, as such, are privileged to know their customers’ personal details, including home address and contact number.
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